Health and Wellness

We're typically told what not to eat before bed—most experts agree that snacking right before turning in can disrupt our digestion and stimulate our brains, which in turn leads to much more tossing and turning than we may have bargained for. On the flip side, science shows that if you fulfill that late-night craving strategically, you might not just sleep well, but you could sleep better. Foods rich in the sleep-inducing hormone serotonin are a safe bet, as are slow-burning complex carbohydrates.

But if you struggle to fall asleep in general, there's one fruit in particular that might soon serve as your secret weapon against insomnia. Believe it or not, research shows that kiwis can actually reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep by more than 35%. In the same study, scientists discovered that the participants woke up less during the night, and self-reported sleep quality improved by 42%. Those are pretty impressive specs for that little green fruit. All that and you'll also be improving your beauty sleep: Kiwis are extremely rich in skin-brightening vitamin C.

To be clear, the study participants ate their kiwis (two, to be exact) an hour before bed, which most experts recommend as the minimum amount of time you should leave in order to give your digestive system a head start. (A churning stomach hardly bodes well for drifting off peacefully). But all in all, it might be time to consider trading your melatonin supplement for some tropical fruit.